1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nail file and, more particularly, to a manicure file for acrylic nails which permits a user to quickly and carefully file smooth the surfaces and edges of hardened acrylic nails, while avoiding contact with and damage to the cuticles and skin surrounding the nail, as well as permitting a user to easily access and file an underside of the nail when necessary.
2. Description of the Related Art
Acrylic nails are popularly used as a fashionable alternative to one's own natural nails. Ordinarily, the process of applying acrylic nails requires first applying a plastic nail tip to a person's natural nail, wherein a portion of the underside of the nail tip is glued to the outer edge of the natural nail so as to extend outwardly. After the adhesive dries and the nail tip is set, liquid acrylic is applied to the upper exposed surface of the natural nail as well as the nail tip to form a uniform upper nail surface. After the liquid acrylic cures and hardens, it is necessary to file down any bumps on the upper exposed surface and underside of the nail as well as the edges around the cuticle and nail tip.
Presently, most manicurists use a standard emery board to file down the exposed surfaces of acrylic nails until the surfaces are smooth, at which time nail polish can be applied thereto. The standard emery boards which are presently used were originally designed for use on natural nails in which only the edges of the nail tip are filed. The problem encountered with using a standard emery board to file acrylic nails results from the large size and rather cumbersome shape of the emery board which tends to contact and rub against the cuticles and surrounding skin when filing the upper surface and edges of the hardened acrylic nail. Further, the underside of the nail can often become rough or discolored, particularly at a point where the acrylic nail contacts and is adhered to the natural nail. As a result of the generally rounded shape of standard emery boards, the tightly curved inner surface cannot be easily and safely filed.
Accordingly, the present manicure file was specifically designed to eliminate the above-mentioned problems associated with the use of commonly known emery boards in the preparation of acrylic nails.